KINGSPORT, Tenn., Aug. 3, 2017 - The board of directors of Eastman Chemical Company (NYSE:EMN) has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.51 per share on the company's common stock.

The dividend is payable Oct. 2, 2017, to stockholders of record as of September 15, 2017.

Eastman is a global advanced materials and specialty additives company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. With a portfolio of specialty businesses, Eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. Its market-driven approaches take advantage of world-class technology platforms and leading positions in attractive end-markets such as transportation, building and construction, and consumables. Eastman focuses on creating consistent, superior value for all stakeholders. As a globally diverse company, Eastman serves customers in more than 100 countries and had 2016 revenues of approximately $9.0 billion. The company is headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA and employs approximately 14,000 people around the world. For more information, visit www.eastman.com.

KINGSPORT, Tenn., August 3, 2017 - Eastman (NYSE:EMN) today announced the release of its 2017 sustainability report, Innovating with purpose. Building on the company's progress, the report provides a review of Eastman's sustainability strategy and goals as well as highlights from the past year.

"At Eastman, we recognize that the world is facing enormous complexity and challenges," said David A. Golden, senior vice president, chief legal & sustainability officer, and corporate secretary. "We know we must create far more value than the resources we use or the future is not sustainable. We have outlined a sustainability strategy to address these global issues through steering a sustainable portfolio, driving resource productivity and rendering focused good acts by employees and the company for the simple sake of doing good. I'm pleased to share this year's report and the progress we continue to make. I'm optimistic about the future and Eastman's ability to drive positive change."

Highlights include the company's transformational shift in its sustainability strategy; increased focus on innovation, including examples where sustainability and innovation intersect to address global macro trends and enhance quality of life; continued focus on responsible management of natural resources; and strengthened collaborations to drive positive change through Eastman's corporate responsibility efforts.

Eastman Eastman is a global advanced materials and specialty additives company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. With a portfolio of specialty businesses, Eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. Its market-driven approaches take advantage of world-class technology platforms and leading positions in attractive end markets such as transportation, building and construction and consumables. Eastman focuses on creating consistent, superior value for all stakeholders. As a globally diverse company, Eastman serves customers in more than 100 countries and had 2016 revenues of approximately $9.0 billion. The company is headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA, and employs approximately 14,000 people around the world. For more information, visit www.eastman.com.

This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients.The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.Source: Eastman Chemical Company via Globenewswire]]>http://trone.acnnewswire.com/us-press-release/53932/Eastman Issues 2017 Sustainability Reporthttp://trone.acnnewswire.com/us-press-release/53932/Eastman Issues 2017 Sustainability Report53931Verisk Announces Important Remote Sensing Capabilities in Its Geomni BusinessTue,01 Aug 2017 10:10:20 +0000Verisk Announces Important Remote Sensing Capabilities in Its Geomni Business

New resources and recent acquisitions are driving deeply integrated and wide-ranging solutions

JERSEY CITY, N.J., August 1, 2017 - Verisk Analytics (Nasdaq:VRSK), a leading data analytics provider, today announced a range of new capabilities in its Geomni business unit.

The Geomni Remote Sensing Fleet

Verisk recently acquired a number of leading U.S.-based aerial survey companies and their aircraft fleets. In addition, Verisk is investing in the most technologically advanced and efficient aerial surveying platforms available. Fully implemented, the Geomni fleet includes more than 125 fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. Geomni operates from 15 hubs strategically located throughout the United States.

Geomni's high-tech remote sensing aircraft are capable of reaching any point in the contiguous 48 states and Hawaii within hours. In the event of a catastrophe, Geomni's highly skilled teams can quickly deploy to provide important postcatastrophe aerial data.

"The new Geomni fleet, combined with our deep expertise, allows us to efficiently source multitier, multispectral aerial imagery across the United States at a scale and frequency not previously available," said Scott Stephenson, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Verisk Analytics. "The imagery and data we collect are immediately processed using our industry-leading computer-vision technology to provide our customers with the up-to-date and precise information they need, delivered directly to the key products they use."

Geomni imagery and data will drive and support uses in many markets, including insurance, commercial property, energy, banking, architecture, engineering, emergency response, urban planning, and much more.

Verisk expects to invest approximately $100 million across 2017 and 2018 in the Geomni capabilities and assets for remote sensing and imagery.

Geomni Property Essentials Available in Real Time

This year, users will have real-time access to important property data in the Geomni library for every parcel and location Geomni has sourced. Newly captured imagery is processed by advanced algorithms and directly added to the Geomni database. This provides insurers, reinsurers, and others immediate information about all types of properties, including residential, commercial, agricultural, and more. The information includes the building footprint, roof shape, roof type, roof slope, swimming pool, outbuildings, percentage of tree coverage on the property and over buildings, and much more.

New Geomni Solutions for Property Stakeholders

New, innovative solutions available (or rolling out) for all types of professionals who work with property include the following:

Geomni-assisted estimating: In a major technological leap forward, Geomni introduces innovative artificial intelligence with the power to create estimates-complete with the scope of damage, including material identification, the needed line items, quantities, and more. For example, an estimator can select exterior building features on a 3D model, and Geomni suggests an estimate. Any edits are fast and easy.

Geomni image inspection: The estimator starts with a pre-loss Geomni data package and adds UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) imagery of damage for analysis by the Geomni system. The system uses these data sources to decide how the loss should be repaired. For example, after a hailstorm, it can determine the number of hail-damaged shingles and then suggest, based on customer thresholds, which roof faces should be replaced.

Geomni UAV (drone) and ground-based inspection: The Geomni mobile app allows anyone with a mobile device to capture ground images around a structure and easily upload UAV images directly into the Geomni system. Users gets highly accurate 3D property models for damage estimating in tools such as Xactimate®. They can also receive meaningful, actionable information for property risk analysis, ITV (insurance-to-value) solutions, and more. The images enhance satellite and aerial data and add detail where the imagery might be obscured from the air by trees and other features.

Geomni web viewer: The web viewer can be used to connect directly to the vast Geomni aerial imagery database and enables customers to measure items such as the length of a fence, the distance of a house to the nearest fire hydrants, the height of a building, or the square footage of a driveway.

Geomni integrations with Verisk solutions: Geomni's integration with the industry-standard Xactimate estimating system provides assisted estimating, 3D models, and much more. Geomni integrates with the 360Value® insurance-to-value calculator to provide detailed property characteristics and with ProMetrix to complement its huge commercial property database. Geomni integrates with Verisk weather solutions to provide services such as a storm map showing an insurer's policies in force, along with an estimate of the damage that can be expected on each of the homes. Geomni integrates with AIR's Touchstone® platform, which includes catastrophe models and portfolio assessments of catastrophe loss in real time.

What Makes Geomni Different

Geomni president Jeffrey C. Taylor said, "What differentiates Geomni's solutions are the deep commitment to constantly source fresh imagery on an unprecedented scale, investing in superior technology, our technical capabilities, and the proprietary data available within the Verisk enterprise. This gives us a comprehensive solution set that is truly unique."

Taylor noted that the fractured nature of many current solutions often leaves users with a static report on a limited part of the process. This information must then be manually transferred to other systems not designed to take advantage of the new geospatial technologies. "Only Geomni and Verisk can provide an end-to-end solution."

Other Geomni Markets

Geomni serves customers in the insurance market, with the opportunity to yield more than $200 million through imagery-based solutions. Geomni is also pursuing many promising applications in the multibillion-dollar yearly U.S. geospatial data market. This market includes verticals such as engineering, construction, utilities, government, infrastructure, and others.

Geomni provides mapping professionals and departments important terrestrial data that supports their need to accurately understand our ever-changing world. From forestry to coastal change, landfill monitoring to landslide prediction, Geomni is currently serving, and will continue to serve, customers through thousands of new projects over the coming year-each using the latest technologies in aircraft efficiency and sensor design.

About GeomniGeomni, a Verisk Analytics (Nasdaq:VRSK) business, provides the world's most efficient multitier, multispectral terrestrial imagery and data acquisition, processing, analytics, and distribution-offering the best value through operational excellence.

Headquartered in Jersey City, N.J., Verisk Analytics operates in 27 countries and is a member of Standard & Poor's S&P 500® Index. In 2017, Forbes magazine named Verisk Analytics to its America's Best Mid-Size Employers list and, in 2016, to its World's Most Innovative Companies list. Verisk is one of only six companies to appear on both lists. For more information, please visit www.verisk.com.

WESTCHESTER, Ill., August 1, 2017 - Ingredion Incorporated (NYSE: INGR), a leading global provider of ingredient solutions to diversified industries, today reported results for the second quarter 2017. The results reported in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") for 2017 and 2016 include items which are excluded from the non-GAAP financial measures which we present*.

"We continue to deliver shareholder value with another strong quarter, including solid operating income and earnings per share growth. Good operating efficiency, the impact of acquisitions, and higher specialty volumes more than offset headwinds in South America," said Ilene Gordon, chairman, president and chief executive officer. "Operating income in North America reached record levels, but was lower in South America due to macroeconomic headwinds and the temporary interruption of manufacturing activities in Argentina associated with the implementation of a new labor agreement."

"As in the past, our growth strategy and continuous improvement programs drove margin expansion. The integrations of TIC Gums, Shandong Huanong Specialty Corn, and the Sun Flour Industry rice business are progressing as planned. We have completed an important organizational restructuring of our Argentina business and we will continue our disciplined approach to cost management. As we continue to execute our strategy, we expect another strong year and reiterate our anticipated 2017 adjusted EPS guidance in the range of $7.50 to $7.80," Gordon added.

*Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share ("adjusted EPS"), adjusted operating income and adjusted effective income tax rate are non-GAAP financial measures. See section II of the Supplemental Financial Information entitled "Non-GAAP Information" following the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included in this press release for a reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP measures.

Diluted Earnings Per Share (EPS)

2Q16

2Q17

YTD16

YTD17

Reported EPS

$1.58

$1.78

$3.36

$3.46

Acquisition/Integration Costs

-

$0.04

$0.01

$0.09

Impairment/Restructuring Costs

$0.14

$0.07

$0.14

$0.22

Adjusted EPS**

$1.73

$1.89

$3.51

$3.77

**Totals may not foot due to rounding

Estimated factors affecting change in adjusted EPS

2Q17

YTD17

Margin

(0.01)

(0.13)

Volume

0.08

0.26

Foreign exchange

0.01

0.04

Other income/(expense)

0.01

0.02

Total operating items

0.09

0.19

Financing costs

(0.01)

(0.07)

Shares outstanding

0.02

0.02

Tax rate

0.06

0.12

Non-controlling interest

-

-

Total non-operating items

0.07

0.07

Total items affecting adjusted EPS

0.16

0.26

Financial Highlights

At June 30, 2017, total debt and cash and short-term investments were $1.95 billion and $454 million, respectively, versus $1.96 billion and $516 million, respectively, at December 31, 2016. Cash and short-term investments were lower primarily driven by stock repurchases.

During the second quarter of 2017, net financing costs were $20 million, or $1 million higher than the year-ago period, due to modestly higher interest rates and gross debt compared to the same period in 2016.

For the second quarter of 2017, reported and adjusted effective tax rates were 30.4 percent and 29.9 percent, respectively, compared to reported and adjusted effective tax rates of 32.8 percent and 32.0 percent, respectively, in the year-ago period. The lower rates were largely driven by appreciation of the Mexican peso during the quarter and resultant valuation of U.S. dollar-denominated balances in Mexico, partially offset by a valuation allowance on the net deferred tax assets of a foreign subsidiary.

Capital expenditures were $144 million for the first half of 2017, up $19 million from the year-ago period.

Business Review

Total Ingredion

$ in millions

2016 Net sales

FX Impact

Volume

Price/mix

2017 Net sales

% change

Second quarter

1,455

2

18

-18

1,457

0%

Year-to-date

2,815

50

94

-49

2,910

3%

Net Sales

Second quarter net sales were flat compared to the year-ago period. Acquisition and specialty volume growth were offset by less favorable price/mix due to the pass through of lower raw material cost.

Year-to-date net sales were up as a result of acquisition-, specialty- and core-related volume growth and changes in foreign currency exchange rates. These factors were partially offset by less favorable price/mix due to the pass through of lower raw material cost.

Operating income

Second quarter reported and adjusted operating income were $211 million and $221 million, respectively. These were six percent and five percent increases, respectively, compared to $198 million of reported operating income and $211 million of adjusted operating income in the second quarter of 2016. The increases in reported and adjusted operating income were primarily due to margin expansion driven by operational efficiencies as well as acquisition- and organic specialty-related volume growth. These positives were partially offset by difficult macroeconomic conditions in South America, the interruption of manufacturing activities in Argentina and resulting temporary higher costs.

Year-to-date 2017 reported and adjusted operating income were $406 million and $433 million, respectively. These were two percent and five percent increases, respectively, compared to $398 million of reported operating income and $412 million of adjusted operating income year-to-date 2016. The increases in reported and adjusted operating income were primarily due to acquisition-, specialty- and core-related volume growth. These positives were partially offset by difficult macroeconomic conditions in South America, the interruption of manufacturing activities in Argentina and resulting temporary higher costs.

Second quarter reported operating income was lower than adjusted operating income by $10 million. Restructuring actions in Argentina were $6 million and acquisition and integration costs associated with TIC Gums were $4 million.

Year-to-date 2017 reported operating income was lower than adjusted operating income by $27 million. Restructuring actions in Argentina were $17 million and acquisition and integration costs associated with TIC Gums were $9 million.

North America

$ in millions

2016 Net sales

FX Impact

Volume

Price/mix

2017 Net sales

% change

Second quarter

895

-4

15

-1

905

1%

Year-to-date

1,735

-

62

-11

1,786

3%

Operating income

Second quarter operating income increased from $160 million to $181 million while year-to-date operating income increased from $309 million to $341 million. In both periods, margin expansion driven by operational efficiencies and lapping plant maintenance from the prior year as well as volume growth from TIC Gums and specialty ingredients accounted for the increase.

South America

$ in millions

2016 Net sales

FX Impact

Volume

Price/mix

2017 Net sales

% change

Second quarter

240

8

-11

-9

228

-5%

Year-to-date

455

54

-8

-18

483

6%

Operating income

Operating income in the second quarter was $4 million, down $10 million from a year ago. Year-to-date operating income was $18 million, down $13 million from a year ago. In both periods, the decrease was largely a result of Argentina's difficult macroeconomic conditions, the interruption of manufacturing activities in Argentina and resulting temporary higher costs.

Asia Pacific

$ in millions

2016 Net sales

FX Impact

Volume

Price/mix

2017 Net sales

% change

Second quarter

180

2

18

-13

187

4%

Year-to-date

349

5

37

-25

366

5%

Operating income

Second quarter operating income was $29 million, down less than $1 million from a year ago. Less favorable price/mix due to core customer mix diversification, more than offset volume growth.

Year-to-date operating income was $59 million, up $1 million from a year ago. The increase was largely due to volume growth partially offset by less favorable price/mix due to core customer mix diversification.

Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA)

$ in millions

2016 Net sales

FX Impact

Volume

Price/mix

2017 Net sales

% change

Second quarter

140

-3

-4

4

137

-2%

Year-to-date

276

-8

2

5

275

-

Operating income

Second quarter operating income was $29 million, flat to a year ago. Margin expansion offset foreign exchange and volume impacts due to Ramadan timing.

Year-to-date operating income was $57 million, up $2 million from a year ago. Volume growth more than offset foreign exchange impacts and higher input costs in Europe.

2017 Guidance

2017 adjusted EPS, excluding acquisition-related, integration, and restructuring costs, as well as any potential impairment costs, is expected to be in the range of $7.50 to $7.80 compared to adjusted EPS of $7.13 in 2016. The full-year guidance assumes, compared to last year: overall improvement in North America, Asia Pacific, and EMEA; South America flat to down; an adjusted effective tax rate of approximately 29 to 31 percent; and continued trade up in our portfolio, including higher-value specialty ingredients, leading to margin expansion.

In 2017, cash generated by operations is now expected to be in the range of $750 to $800 million, slightly lower than our previous estimate, due to the organizational restructuring actions in Argentina and the launch of a finance transformation project. Capital expenditures are anticipated to be between $300 and $325 million.

Conference Call and WebcastIngredion will conduct a conference call today at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time (7:00 a.m. Central Time) to be hosted by Ilene Gordon, chairman, president and chief executive officer, and James Gray, executive vice president and chief financial officer.

The call will be webcast in real time, and will include a visual presentation accessible through the Ingredion website at www.ingredion.com. The presentation will be available to download a few hours prior to the start of the call. A replay of the webcast will be available for a limited time thereafter at www.ingredion.com.

ABOUT THE COMPANYIngredion Incorporated (NYSE: INGR) is a leading global ingredient solutions provider. We turn grains, fruits, vegetables and other plant materials into value-added ingredients and biomaterial solutions for the food, beverage, paper and corrugating, brewing and other industries. Serving customers in over 100 countries, our ingredients make crackers crunchy, yogurts creamy, candy sweet, paper stronger and add fiber to nutrition bars. Visit www.ingredion.com to learn more.

Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains or may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company intends these forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for such statements.

Forward-looking statements include, among other things, any statements regarding the Company's prospects or future financial condition, earnings, revenues, tax rates, capital expenditures, expenses or other financial items, any statements concerning the Company's prospects or future operations, including management's plans or strategies and objectives therefor and any assumptions, expectations or beliefs underlying the foregoing.

These statements can sometimes be identified by the use of forward looking words such as "may," "will," "should," "anticipate," "assume", "believe," "plan," "project," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "continue," "pro forma," "forecast," "outlook," "propels," "opportunity," "potential" or other similar expressions or the negative thereof. All statements other than statements of historical facts in this release or referred to in this release are "forward-looking statements."

These statements are based on current circumstances or expectations, but are subject to certain inherent risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and are beyond our control. Although we believe our expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, stockholders are cautioned that no assurance can be given that our expectations will prove correct.

Actual results and developments may differ materially from the expectations expressed in or implied by these statements, based on various factors, including the effects of global economic conditions, including, particularly, continuation or worsening of the current economic, currency and political conditions in South America and economic conditions in Europe, and their impact on our sales volumes and pricing of our products, our ability to collect our receivables from customers and our ability to raise funds at reasonable rates; fluctuations in worldwide markets for corn and other commodities, and the associated risks of hedging against such fluctuations; fluctuations in the markets and prices for our co-products, particularly corn oil; fluctuations in aggregate industry supply and market demand; the behavior of financial markets, including foreign currency fluctuations and fluctuations in interest and exchange rates; volatility and turmoil in the capital markets; the commercial and consumer credit environment; general political, economic, business, market and weather conditions in the various geographic regions and countries in which we buy our raw materials or manufacture or sell our products; future financial performance of major industries which we serve, including, without limitation, the food and beverage, paper, corrugated, and brewing industries; energy costs and availability, freight and shipping costs, and changes in regulatory controls regarding quotas; tariffs, duties, taxes and income tax rates; particularly United States tax reform; operating difficulties; availability of raw materials, including potato starch, tapioca, gum arabic and the specific varieties of corn upon which our products are based; our ability to develop new products and a services at a rate or of a quality sufficient to meet expectations; energy issues in Pakistan; boiler reliability; our ability to effectively integrate and operate acquired businesses; our ability to achieve budgets and to realize expected synergies; our ability to complete planned maintenance and investment projects successfully and on budget; labor disputes; genetic and biotechnology issues; changing consumption preferences including those relating to high fructose corn syrup; increased competitive and/or customer pressure in the corn-refining industry; and the outbreak or continuation of serious communicable disease or hostilities including acts of terrorism. Factors relating to the acquisition of TIC Gums that could cause actual results and developments to differ from expectations include: the anticipated benefits of the acquisition, including synergies, may not be realized; and the integration of TIC Gum's operations with those of Ingredion may be materially delayed or may be more costly or difficult than expected.

Our forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and we do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of the statement as a result of new information or future events or developments. If we do update or correct one or more of these statements, investors and others should not conclude that we will make additional updates or corrections. For a further description of these and other risks, see "Risk Factors" included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 and subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K.

Steve Crawford, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Eastman Chemical Company (NYSE:EMN), will address the Jefferies Industrials Conference in New York City on August 9, 2017 at 8:40 a.m. ET.

This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients.The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.Source: Eastman Chemical Company via Globenewswire]]>http://trone.acnnewswire.com/us-press-release/53929/Steve Crawford to address the Jefferies Industrials Conferencehttp://trone.acnnewswire.com/us-press-release/53929/Steve Crawford to address the Jefferies Industrials Conference53928Eastman Announces Second-Quarter 2017 Financial ResultsThu,27 Jul 2017 10:40:32 +0000KINGSPORT, Tenn., July 27, 2017 - Eastman Chemical Company (NYSE:EMN) today announced reported earnings of $2.00 per diluted share for second quarter 2017 versus $1.71 per diluted share for second quarter 2016. Adjusted earnings were $1.98 per diluted share for second quarter 2017 versus $1.68 per diluted share for second quarter 2016. For detail of the adjustments and reconciliation to reported company and segment earnings for all periods presented, see Tables 3A and 4A.

"We delivered 18 percent year-over-year growth in adjusted EPS demonstrating the robustness of our portfolio, the strength of our transformation and the value of our integration," said Mark Costa, Board Chair and CEO. "Our innovation-led strategy resulted in strong revenue growth driven by continued volume growth in our specialty businesses, and we increased selling prices in our intermediates business. We continue to demonstrate the strength of our portfolio in this slow growth global economy, and remain confident in the sustainability of our strong cash flows."

Eastman generated $431 million in cash from operating activities during second quarter 2017, primarily due to strong net earnings partially offset by increased working capital. Share repurchases totaled $100 million in second quarter 2017. Priorities for uses of available cash include payment of the quarterly dividend, repayment of debt, funding targeted growth initiatives, and repurchasing shares.

Outlook

Commenting on the outlook for full-year 2017, Costa said: "During the first half of the year, we delivered strong EPS growth, and we expect our innovative, high margin products to continue to drive compelling growth in what remains an uncertain global business environment. Disciplined cost management and capital allocation are also expected to continue contributing to earnings growth, helping to offset challenges in Fibers and ethylene prices. Given the strength of our first half results and our confidence in the actions we are taking to deliver growth despite the challenges we face, our expectations for adjusted 2017 EPS growth have improved to 10-12 percent compared with 2016 versus the previous 8-12 percent."

The full-year 2017 projected earnings exclude any non-core, unusual, or non-recurring items in the remaining six months of 2017 and assumes that the adjusted tax rate detailed in Tables 4A and 4B for first six months 2017 will be the actual rate for full-year 2017. Our 2017 financial results forecasts do not include non-core items (such as mark-to-market pension and other postretirement benefit gain or loss) or any unusual or non-recurring items, and we accordingly are unable to reconcile projected full-year 2017 earnings excluding non-core and any unusual or non-recurring items to reported GAAP earnings without unreasonable efforts.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes forward-looking statements concerning current expectations and assumptions for future global economic conditions; competitive position and acceptance of specialty products in key markets; mix of products sold; raw material and energy prices and costs, and other costs; and revenue, earnings, and cash flow for full-year 2017. Such expectations and assumptions are based upon certain preliminary information, internal estimates, and management assumptions, expectations, and plans, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties inherent in projecting future conditions, events, and results. Actual results could differ materially from expectations and assumptions expressed in the forward-looking statements if one or more of the underlying assumptions or expectations prove to be inaccurate or are unrealized. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such expectations are and will be detailed in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Form 10-Q filed for first quarter 2017 available, and the Form 10-Q to be filed for second quarter 2017 and to be available, on the Eastman web site at www.eastman.com in the Investors, SEC filings section.

Conference Call and Webcast Information

Eastman will host a conference call with industry analysts on July 28, 2017 at 8:00 a.m. ET. To listen to the live webcast of the conference call and view the accompanying slides, go to www.investors.eastman.com, Events & Presentations. To listen via telephone, the dial-in number is 719-325-2213, passcode number 7395643. A web replay, a replay in downloadable MP3 format, and the accompanying slides will be available at www.investors.eastman.com, Events & Presentations. A telephone replay will be available continuously from 11:00 a.m. ET, July 28 to 11:00 a.m. ET, August 7 at 888-203-1112 or 719-457-0820, passcode 7395643.

Eastman is a global advanced materials and specialty additives company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. With a portfolio of specialty businesses, Eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. Its market-driven approaches take advantage of world-class technology platforms and leading positions in attractive end-markets such as transportation, building and construction, and consumables. Eastman focuses on creating consistent, superior value for all stakeholders. As a globally diverse company, Eastman serves customers in more than 100 countries and had 2016 revenues of approximately $9.0 billion. The company is headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA and employs approximately 14,000 people around the world. For more information, visit www.eastman.com.

G2 Web Services will become part of Argus, a Verisk Analytics business, which will allow Argus to enhance its offerings to clients and partners, providing unprecedented market-leading solutions in merchant and consumer fraud and reputational risk detection.

G2 provides acquiring banks, payment companies, and commercial banks the solutions they need to identify, mitigate, and monitor payments risk in their merchant and business customer portfolios. G2 Web Services has gathered more than a decade of merchant-specific data, which is incorporated in the G2 Merchant Map, the industry's most extensive fraud and compliance database. Combining data science, industry-leading technology, and deep domain expertise, the company leads the payments industry in the identification of third-party merchant risk for hundreds of the world's largest financial institutions.

"We're thrilled to have G2 join the Verisk family," said Nana Banerjee, group president of Verisk Analytics. "Both G2 and Argus share the same focus on deploying sophisticated data-driven solutions and making business safer for our clients, including banks, payment platforms, networks, and acquirers. G2 is changing the way the financial sector identifies and mitigates risk and fraud, and we firmly believe that our many other client companies across the globe will benefit from being part of the G2 platform."

"By joining with Argus, we will take our proprietary data assets, powerful technology, and deep domain expertise to the next level in helping clients fight fraud, transaction laundering, and reputational risk within the global payments and e-commerce ecosystem," said Allison Guidette, chief executive officer at G2 Web Services. "Together we will expand our capabilities to map bad-actor networks, predict payments risk, and provide clients with the best opportunity to reduce losses and fines due to merchant and business fraud and compliance violations."

"G2 is an excellent fit for the Verisk Analytics family of businesses and a great opportunity to add a unique data set that will allow us to do even more to help our customers combat fraud in the payments space," added Scott Stephenson, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Verisk Analytics.

The purchase price is $112 million, to be paid in cash to stockholders of G2. The transaction is expected to close during the third quarter of 2017, subject to the completion of customary closing conditions.

About G2 Web ServicesG2 Web Services provides merchant risk intelligence solutions for acquirers, commercial banks, and their value chain partners, representing close to 60 percent of global merchant outlets. Only G2 Web Services has the experience, data, and skills to provide customers with comprehensive solutions that transform the way they manage and monitor merchant and business risk. Our platform has been built through over a decade of partnership with acquiring banks around the world and the major U.S. card networks and uses advanced technologies combined with expert analysts to deliver value to our customers worldwide. For more information, please visit www.g2webservices.com.

About ArgusArgus is a one-of-a-kind leading provider of information, scoring solutions, and advisory services to financial institutions across the globe. Our client base ranges from financial institutions and their regulators to various companies across the media industry and beyond. We maximize the value of data by transforming it into insightful information and analysis that assist our clients in understanding their market contribution, managing and mitigating risk (default, fraud, funding, and compliance), and capitalizing on their financial objectives. Argus, a Verisk Analytics (Nasdaq:VRSK) business, is headquartered in White Plains, New York, with additional offices in San Francisco, São Paulo, Sydney, Melbourne, and London. For more information, please visit www.argusinformation.com.

Headquartered in Jersey City, N.J., Verisk Analytics operates in 27 countries and is a member of Standard & Poor's S&P 500® Index. In 2017, Forbes magazine named Verisk Analytics to its America's Best Mid-Size Employers list and, in 2016, to its World's Most Innovative Companies list. Verisk is one of only six companies to appear on both lists. For more information, please visit www.verisk.com.

Pearlbond 1160L is toluene-free (0 ppm) and can be converted into thermobonding films, webs and powder. It is a lightweight and environmentally friendly alternative to competing materials. With the addition of Pearlbond 1160L, Lubrizol now offers the choice of two solutions for adhesive formulators: high-melt strength Pearlbond 1160 and the new Pearlbond 1160L, which has a superior crystallization speed and higher wettability.

"Lubrizol offers a world-class portfolio of solvent-free polymers for hot melt adhesives. Pearlbond 1160L provides a gel-free, high-performing alternative that can be easily processed and offers new possibilities for stitch-free bonding and waterproofing adhesives in a variety of applications," states Jesus Santamaria, EMEAI business director for Estane® Engineered Polymers.

About Lubrizol Engineered PolymersLubrizol Engineered Polymers offers one of the broadest portfolios of engineered polymers available today including resins that are bio-based*, recyclable**, light stable, flame retardant, adhesive, chemically resistant, optically clear and fast cycling. Our technology crosses many industries and applications, including surface protection, power and fluid systems, sports and recreation, wearable devices, electronics and automotive. For more information, visit www.lubrizol.com/engineeredpolymers or contact engineeredpolymers@lubrizol.com.

About The Lubrizol Corporation The Lubrizol Corporation, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is a market-driven global company that combines complex, specialty chemicals to optimize the quality, performance and value of customers' products while reducing their environmental impact. It is a leader at combining market insights with chemistry and application capabilities to deliver valuable solutions to customers in the global transportation, industrial and consumer markets. Lubrizol improves lives by acting as an essential partner in our customers' success, delivering efficiency, reliability or wellness to their end users. Technologies include lubricant additives for engine oils, driveline and other transportation-related fluids, industrial lubricants, as well as additives for gasoline and diesel fuel. In addition, Lubrizol makes ingredients and additives for home care, personal care and skin care products and specialty materials encompassing polymer and coatings technologies, along with polymer-based pharmaceutical and medical device solutions.

With headquarters in Wickliffe, Ohio, Lubrizol owns and operates manufacturing facilities in 17 countries, as well as sales and technical offices around the world. Founded in 1928, Lubrizol has approximately 8,300 employees worldwide. Revenues for 2016 were $6.5 billion. For more information, visit Lubrizol.com.

*Bio-based content as certified in accordance with ASTM D-6866.

**Recyclability is based on access to a readily available standard recycling program that supports such materials. Products may not be available in all areas.

New model explicitly captures all three sub-perils-hail, tornado, and straight-line wind

BOSTON, July 24, 2017 - Catastrophe risk modeling firm AIR Worldwide today announced that it has released the industry's first comprehensive severe thunderstorm model for Australia that explicitly captures all three sub-perils-hail, tornado, and straight-line wind to help companies assess and manage severe thunderstorm risk. AIR Worldwide is a Verisk Analytics (Nasdaq:VRSK) business.

"In Australia, insurance losses from severe thunderstorms are greater than those from other natural perils such as earthquakes, tropical cyclones, bushfires, or floods," said Dr. Eric Robinson, manager and principal scientist, AIR Worldwide. "Because aggregate losses from severe thunderstorms can result in extreme volatility in financial results, a robust view of the risk is critical for organizations developing resilience strategies."

The AIR Severe Thunderstorm Model for Australia simulates daily severe thunderstorm activity based on historical occurrence rates and local and seasonal weather patterns. The daily simulation enables the model to capture both the large outbreaks that produce insured losses in excess of AUD 10 million-the ICA threshold for a catastrophe-and smaller events that may last only one day, but that could still impact a company's portfolio on an aggregate basis, or a more rural portfolio on an occurrence basis.

The AIR model utilizes historical data from Australia's Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) Severe Storms Archive, which comprises storm reports from a trained weather spotter network. To compensate for inherent bias from eyewitness reporting of the historical data, AIR employed a hybrid physical-statistical method to simulate hail, straight-line wind, and tornadoes in physically realistic locations, including areas that may not have experienced major activity in the brief historical record. This method blends information about atmospheric conditions conducive to severe thunderstorms with BOM storm reports data, resulting in a spatially complete catalog of simulated events that offers companies a more accurate view of their severe thunderstorm risk.

Thunderstorm weather systems can last for several days and affect multiple states, but the individual tornadoes, hail swaths, and straight-line wind swaths (the "sub-perils") that make up an outbreak may last for just minutes and affect highly localized areas. To capture the localized effects, AIR developed high-resolution event footprints specific to each sub-peril. Additionally, because hailstorms, tornadoes, and straight-line windstorms inflict damage differently, the model's damage functions are sub-peril-specific to provide more accurate loss estimates.

The model also simulates realistically clustered severe thunderstorm outbreaks using methodology that groups hail, wind, and tornadoes into spatially coherent patterns-patterns that would not be possible using random sampling alone.

Dr. Robinson continued, "Loss potential is increasing as property replacement values rise in the densely populated cities of Australia, and the number of insurable exposures continues to grow as development expands into previously unpopulated areas. Insurers are looking for innovative tools that can help them better manage this growing risk by capturing the impact of both large and small loss-causing events, as well as accounting for the highly-localized effects of straight-line winds, hail, and tornadoes. Our new model does this by integrating statistical modeling with the latest meteorological research."

A new suite of models for Australia (including the severe thunderstorm model and updated models for tropical cyclone, earthquake, and bushfire) is currently available in the CATRADER® Version 19 and Touchstone® 5.0 catastrophe risk management systems. In addition to new and updated models, Touchstone 5.0 features a variety of enhancements to support more streamlined multitasking, and new options for generating and working with loss results.

About AIR WorldwideAIR Worldwide (AIR) provides risk modeling solutions that make individuals, businesses, and society more resilient to extreme events. In 1987, AIR Worldwide founded the catastrophe modeling industry and today models the risk from natural catastrophes, terrorism, pandemics, casualty catastrophes, and cyber attacks, globally. Insurance, reinsurance, financial, corporate, and government clients rely on AIR's advanced science, software, and consulting services for catastrophe risk management, insurance-linked securities, site-specific engineering analyses, and agricultural risk management. AIR Worldwide, a Verisk Analytics (Nasdaq:VRSK) business, is headquartered in Boston with additional offices in North America, Europe, and Asia. For more information, please visit www.air-worldwide.com.

This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients.The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.Source: AIR Worldwide via Globenewswire]]>http://trone.acnnewswire.com/us-press-release/53925/AIR Worldwide Releases Severe Thunderstorm Model for Australiahttp://trone.acnnewswire.com/us-press-release/53925/AIR Worldwide Releases Severe Thunderstorm Model for Australia53924JCPENNEY MERGES STYLE, VALUE AND SPEED FOR BACK-TO-SCHOOL SHOPPERSFri,21 Jul 2017 03:30:20 +0000Company Transforms City Streets® to Fast Fashion Brand Available at Extreme Value Prices

JCPenney.com Products Now Ship Free to any JCPenney Store with No Minimum Threshold

PLANO, Texas - (July 21, 2017) - JCPenney [NYSE: JCP] is accelerating in the fast fashion lane with the expansion of its City Streets® private brand by offering trend-right merchandise priced at an extreme value just in time for back-to-school. The newly expanded collection now encompasses casual sportswear and fashion accessories for the entire family and is the latest apparel initiative designed to attract new and younger customers to JCPenney, while swiftly meeting demand for stylish apparel at everyday low prices. These items and more are now available for free shipping when purchased at JCPenney.com and customers choose to have their order shipped to a local JCPenney store for easy pickup.

"We reinvented the City Streets brand this past spring to better compete with specialty and off-price retailers who are providing new, trend-relevant merchandise on a quicker production timeline," said John Tighe, chief merchant for JCPenney. "With City Streets, we can offer affordable fast fashion for shoppers who want to continuously update their wardrobe with the latest styles."

The entire City Streets collection, as well as select items from other JCPenney private brands, will be part of a merchandise assortment priced at an extreme value every day. These products have low, fixed price points that do not require a sale and are coupon eligible. Throughout the year, the City Streets assortment will evolve based on what's popular for the season, such as $5 flip flops, $9 shorts and $10 sunglasses for summer, and $7 backpacks, $15 jeans and $12 sneakers for back-to-school.

For back-to-school, JCPenney is encouraging friendship by highlighting City Streets anti-bullying tees that convey statements of positivity, such as "Choose Nice" and "Super Heroes Stick Up For Everyone." Shirts available in the kid's department will include "Fashion Against Bullying" hangtags that provide information for contacting Teen Line, a crisis hotline where students can receive help or advice against bullying. The friendship tees are available in all stores and at JCPenney.com from $5 to $7.

Revving-Up Value and Free Shipping Incentives JCPenney shoppers will find compelling deals on the latest trends throughout the entire season. Back-to-school promotions begin with the roll out of "Power Penney Days" on July 21, showcasing $3, $5, $7 and $9 deals on select items. Customers can also take advantage of extra savings with a 15 percent off coupon valid through July 23 or a $10 off $10 or more coupon giveaway available to early shoppers in stores on July 22, while supplies last.

Customers shopping jcpenney.com will have the added convenience of shipping their online orders to their local JCPenney store with no minimum order requirement or shipping charge. The merchandise assortment online offers four times the selection of the largest JCPenney store, giving customers broader access to sizes, styles and new product categories not found in stores, such as electronics, sporting goods and musical instruments. Additionally, thousands of items are available for free same-day pickup in any given store.

Accelerating Apparel ProductionJCPenney is leaning into fast fashion by reducing the development timeline of select private brand merchandise by 40 percent. The Company has one of the most sophisticated in-house design and sourcing operations in the industry, and is leveraging supply chain efficiencies, as well as the expertise of its merchant and store teams, to accelerate apparel production and the in-store delivery process. With the new speed-to-market initiative, JCPenney can react more quickly to consumer trends, allocate the right product mix and deliver value at the faster pace shoppers have come to expect.

JCPenney Media Relations972-431-3400 or jcpnews@jcp.comFollow @jcpnews on Twitter for the latest announcements, images and company information.

About JCPenney:J. C. Penney Company, Inc. (NYSE:JCP), one of the nation's largest apparel and home furnishings retailers, is on a mission to ensure every customer's shopping experience is worth her time, money and effort. Whether shopping jcp.com or visiting one of over 1,000 store locations across the United States and Puerto Rico, she will discover a broad assortment of products from a leading portfolio of private, exclusive and national brands. Supporting this value proposition is the warrior spirit of over 100,000 JCPenney associates worldwide, who are focused on the Company's three strategic priorities of strengthening private brands, becoming a world-class omnichannel retailer and increasing revenue per customer. For additional information, please visit jcp.com.

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This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients.The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.Source: J. C. Penney Company, Inc. via Globenewswire]]>http://trone.acnnewswire.com/us-press-release/53924/JCPENNEY MERGES STYLE, VALUE AND SPEED FOR BACK-TO-SCHOOL SHOPPERShttp://trone.acnnewswire.com/us-press-release/53924/JCPENNEY MERGES STYLE, VALUE AND SPEED FOR BACK-TO-SCHOOL SHOPPERS